Macomb teen headed to dance party found dead on sidewalk

Funeral services will be held Friday for an 18-year-old Macomb Township man whose body was found on the side of the road in Oakland County after he was supposed to attend an electronic dance party at Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.

The body of Kostika Fushi, a 2013 graduate of Dakota High School, was found Sunday by a passing motorist in the snow on a sidewalk on Grand River Avenue near the complex, according to Novi police. Investigators with the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office are waiting for toxicology tests before ruling on the cause of death but said an autopsy found signs of hypothermia.

Novi Deputy Police Chief Jarrot Hart said foul play isn’t suspected in the man’s death, but witnesses reported he was in the area to attend an entertainment event at the Suburban Collection.

Advertisement

“This is a very tragic incident to happen, especially so close to the holidays,” said Hart. “It shouldn’t be about where he was going or what he was doing so much as helping the family say goodbye to their loved one.”

Fushi was supposed to attend the Life in Color concert — a show that included several DJs and was billed by promoters as the “world’s largest paint party” Saturday night where attendees enjoy music while watching aerial acts, stilt walkers and a fire show. The crowd is doused with paint at the end of the show.

Some reports indicated Fushi was unable to get into the concert and witnesses said he was wearing clothing that was not appropriate for the weather as an ice storm was moving through the area, Hart said.

Fushi is survived by his parents, Llazi and Almida, according to his obituary. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons, Shelby Township. Visitation is 2-9 p.m. Thursday.